User communication devices, such as laptops, tablets, smart phones, also known as user equipment (UE) typically support multiple wireless technologies such as WIFI and Cellular Wireless Technologies such as LTE, CDMA and so on. Standard protocols, such as 3GPP, 3GPP2 and so on define control protocols by which the user equipment can select a component access technology.
Wireless LAN technologies, such as WIFI and WiMAX, are becoming increasingly available as WIFI. These services may be offered by the same operator as the wireless cell operator or by a different operator. Also, cell operators are deploying micro and femto cells in certain locations to increase the capacity and coverage in dense locations. Network selection in the majority of the mobile wireless devices is based on Received Signal Strength or based on the configuration of the best network in the device, and by type of service (voice or data), that the user initiates. For example, on a device that has connectivity to both a radio access network and WIFI networks, when the user initiates a circuit switched (CS) service, such as a voice call or SMS for example, the device uses the RAN. However, when the user initiates packet switched (PS) services, the device uses WLAN. If the device is currently not associated with a WIFI access point (AP), and if the WIFI radio is enabled, the device attempts to connect to the highest priority WLAN/SSID that it successfully connected to previously.
3GPP standards define Access Network Discovery and Selection (ANDSF) methods by which a mobile device identifies which access network to connect to (Network Selection and inter System Mobility Policy), or which network to route specific IP flows to (Inter System Routing Policy). This framework uses a client application (ANDSF Client) and server (ANDSF Server) in the operator's core network. However, there is a need for a method and system to enable enhanced operator control for WLAN interworking, and to enable WLAN to be included in an operator's cellular Radio Resource Management.